Life-preserver.



. 1. B. a M. KASSEH.

LIFE PRESERVER. APPLlCATlON FILED DEC.18. 1916- Patented Mar. 12, 1918.

JOSEPH B. KASSEB AND M'OBRIS I'ZASSER, OFSAN FRANCISCO, GALIFORNIA.

LIFE-PRESERVER.

Application filed December 18, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, .losnrii l5. :KASSEB. and Mounts KAssna, citizens of the United. States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State ofCalifornia,

have ointly invented a new and useful Improvement in Life-Preservers, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in life preservers or belts wherein distended chambers are formed between layers of elastic water-proof material to provide a buoyant member; and the objects of our invention are First, to provide an improved life preserver or belt that may be worn with comfort in conjunction with the night clothing; 7

Second, to provide an improved life preserver or belt that'is normally sufficiently inflated to support a person on the surface of a body of water;

Third, to provide an improved life preserver having two independent sets of chambers, one set of which is normally inflated to a suflicient extent to support a person, the other set of chambers being adapted to be easily and quickly inflated to increase the buoyancy of the device.

7e accomplish these several objects by means of the device disclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present specification, wherein like characters of reference are used to designate similar parts throughout the said specification and drawings. and in which Figure 1 is a broken elevation of one side of our improved life preserver disclosing the normally distended side;

Fig. 9. is a sectional view taken on line X-X of Fig. 1 in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the device formed in the position assumed when attached or secured to the person;

Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged sectional views taken on line Z-Z of Fig. 4 disclosing the valve in closed and opened positions respectively.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 is used to designate a life preserver comprising a belt formed of three layers of elastic water-proof material 2, 3 and 41. One outer layer 2 has a plurality of vertically disposed distended chambers 6 formed therein and apertured at the lower ends Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 12, 1%18.

Serial No. 138,110.

thereof as at 7 the purpose of which apertures will hereinafter be more fully set forth. 1

These portions of the outer layer :2 that lie between the distended chambers 6 are secured to the central layer 3 by means of a suitable cement, vulcanizing or other suitable method.

The other outer layer 4: is secured at regular intervals to the central layer 3 so as to form a set of vertically disposed chambers 8 all inter-connected by means of upper and lower horizontally disposed chambers or connections 9 as shown in perspective in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The chambers 8 are held independent from the first set of chambers 6 by means of the central layer 3.

The chambers 6 are normally inflated by means of their distended construction or formation, the apertures 7 readily permitting the entrance of the atmosphere. As these apertures 7 are located at the lower ends of the chambers 6 it is obvious that when the wearer enters the water said water will effectively close said apertures againstthe egress of air therein.

This arrangement renders the belt normally buoyant to a suflicient degree to readily support a person upon the surface of a body of water. Should additional or greater buoyancy be required the independent set of chambers 8 normally deflated, may be easily and readily inflated by means of a tube 11 connected therewith and provided at its upper end with a collapsible valve 12 the nature and construction of which is disclosed in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings. The said valve 12 consists of a rubber or other elastic insert or plug 14: split as at 16. The resilient nature of the plug or insert 14 normally retains the split 16 closed as in Fig. 4 of the drawings but by pressing the sides of the valve together the split is opened as disclosed in Fig. 5 of the drawings whereby the chambers may be either inflated or deflated.

The belt is provided with suitable leg straps 17 and suitable body straps 18 by means of which the belt 1 may be secured to the body of the wearer.

The belt 1 being composed of soft, pliable, waterproof material may be easily worn without discomfort under the night clothing when aboard ships or other places where there is any danger of drowning.

It is obvious from the foregoing that we have provided an improved life preserver or belt adapted to be sufficiently inflated to sustain the person upon the surface, of a body of water and also means whereby additional or greater buoyancy may be easily and readily imparted to the device.

It is also evident that the belt may be deflated and rolled within a comparatively small and compact package requiring little room for storage when not inuse.

The slip covers are provided to prevent thisi1 contact of the cold rubber belt with the :b0 y. V

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A life preserver comprising a belt formed of three layers of elastic waterproof material, one outer layer having a plurality of distended chambers formed therein and open to the atmosphere on the lower ends thereof, the other outer layer being'secured at intervals to the center layer to form a plurality of closed chambers.

2. A life preserver comprising a belt formed of three layers of elastic water-proof material, one outer layer having a plurality of distended chambers formed therein and open to the atmosphere on the lower ends thereof, the other outer layer being secured at intervals to the center layer to form a plurality of closed chambers; and means for inflating the second mentioned chambers.

3. A life preserver comprising a belt formed of three layers of elastic water-proof material arranged in parallel relation, one

outer layerhavii'ig a plurality of distended chambers formed therein open to the at-' mosphere at the bottom, the other outer layer being secured at intervals to the cen-i tral layer to form a plurality of closed inter-connected chambers; an inflated tube connected to the second mentioned chambers; and a suitable valve connected to the end of the tube'to retain the inflation of the said inter-connected chambers. A. A life preserver comprising a belt formed of three layers of elastic water-proof material, one outer layer having a plurals ity of distended-chambers formed therein and open to the atmosphere at the lower ends thereof, the other outer layer being secured V at intervals to the central layer to form a plurality of closed chambers; means for infiating the second mentioned chambers; and E JOSEPH B. KASSER.

MORRIS KASSER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the .Gommis sioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.? 

